Learner's Permit
by Tintastic01
Summary: Tintin finally got it. He FINALLY got his learner's permit. But...who will teach him to drive? Find out what happens when a quirky 15 year old Tintin asks his friend the Captain to teach him to drive. (set in modern times. Rated T just to be safe, but is more of a K )


He had finally gotten it. Fifteen years and he had finally gotten it. Tintin stared thoughtfully at his newly attained learner's permit, looking at his picture in the top right corner of the glossy card.

He had waited at least four hours in line just to talk to someone who worked at the department, and when he finally did, he was turned down for a lack of identification (seeing as his birth certificate and records were relatively blank, along with his origin). So, an extra three hours ensured that he attained identification, and spoke to a very lethargic woman who spoke in a monotone voice as she directed him on what to do. But, it didn't matter, because all of the waiting and hassle was worth it when he stared at the shiny plastic rectangle in his left palm.

He had ridden the metro to the Marlinshire station, then proceeded to look for Captain Haddock's car. Sure enough, it was right where he had left it merely 7 hours prior. All he had told the Captain in the morning was "Hey, would it be ok if you drove me to the metro? I'll be back a few hours later.", not mentioning anything about his plans or activities. The Captain replied with a simple "Sure lad." briefly glancing over the top of the newspaper he was enthralled in, and taking a forkful of pancakes to his mouth. Suddenly, he hoped he hadn't been waiting for him for more than an hour.

Tintin approached the silver Mercedes parked on the curb near the entrance of the metro, seeing the familiar sight of the Captain scrolling on his phone with only one finger and squinting to look at the words (so much so, that someone who didn't know him may have presumed he had no eyes at all). '*sigh*...people over 40 and cellular devices mix about as well as water and oil...' Tintin thought, taking his hand out of the pocket of his blue hooded zip up jacket to pry at the door handle. Of course it was locked, and Tintin knew this, but he figured it would be a good way to avert the Captain's attention from his phone to unlocking the door for him.

Sure enough, the Captain looked up, and, seeing Tintin through the window, unlocked the door from the switch on his side of the car. Tintin then pulled the handle again, the door swinging open to allow him access to the passenger's seat. He dipped his body through the doorway, the car door following suite to close behind him.

The Captain smiled at him, "Hey lad. How was your day?" He greeted.

Tintin sunk himself into the car seat a bit and shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. "It was good, I just had to go and grab something. I hope I haven't kept you long?" He asked, hoping the Captain wouldn't ask any questions about his day.

"Nah, nah, only a couple of minutes. So, what did you grab?" DRAT. Thought Tintin. Tintin's eye contact dropped to his lap, and he fiddled with his thumbs in his jacket pockets, the plastic card residing in the left one. "Um..." He looked at the Captain, his friends eyes pleading for details. Tintin sighed and took out the plastic card from his pocket. He looked at it for a moment, pondering whether or not to show the Captain. He turned in his hand and sighed again, placing the card in the Captain's open palm. The Captain closed his fingers around it and brought it closer to his face. Tintin watched as his expression changed, and his face contorted to one of confusion.

"What...why did you um...what's this for?" The Captain said, turning the card in his hand.

"Well, I turned 15 about 4 days ago, so I thought 'why not', so I went to take the test. Needless to say I passed." Tintin said, looking outside the window to distract himself by looking at the people passing by.

The Captain gave him a shocked look. "I didn't know your birthday was recently. How old did you say, 15?" He said, looking at him. Tintin turned back to him and nodded, his mouth formed into a straight line. The Captain ran a hand over his face and gave a small smile. "Well uh...erm...happy late birthday...and uh...congrats on the uh...the permit." He said, rubbing the back of his neck and handing the card back to Tintin. Tintin lightly stuck it back into his jacket pocket, along with his hands, turning his head to look out the window again, focusing on nothing in particular.

They sat there in awkward silence for a moment, the Captain sitting silently with his hands on his lap, and Tintin sitting with his hands in his jacket pockets starring out the window, not at anything, but simply to avoid making eye contact with the Captain. After a moment, the Captain sighed and murmured an "Ok." Underneath his breath. He put the car into drive and began to pull out. Tintin took this as a signal to end the conversation, so he put in his ear buds and turned the music up on his phone.

XXX

Tintin flopped back down onto his bed at Marlinspike Hall. He held up his permit, looking at it in contrast to the white ceiling. Finally, he could start being his own person. He could finally go where he wanted to go and do what he wanted to do without having to ask the Captain to drive him everywhere. He could drive places on his own if he wanted to, but the Captain would have none of that. Especially since it was the Captain's car in the first place.

Tintin knew that he would have to learn to drive, but he didn't know who (let alone how) to ask. He was going to ask the Captain, seeing as he was his guardian, but that wouldn't stop the whole situation from being awkward. It was one of the most parental things in life to teach your child to drive, but there was only one problem...the Captain wasn't his father. Nonetheless, he had to learn to drive somehow, and no matter how awkward, he would ask the Captain to help him.

XXX

Tintin approached the doorway of the study. He knew the Captain was in there, most likely in the worn green plaid armchair reading a newspaper, per usual. He ducked his head in ever so slightly, as not to stir the Captain. As he suspected, there he sat, newspaper I hand, and pipe in mouth. Tintin considered just turning back around, forgetting about the whole ordeal and wait a while. He was considering it, that is, until the Captain noticed him in the threshold.

"Ah! Hello, Tintin my boy! Come on in, sit down.". The Captain said, removing the pipe from his lips and gesturing to the armchair opposite him. Tintin ran a hand over his face and reluctantly walked into the book filled study. He sat in the red, less used armchair on the opposite side, and mentally prepared himself.

"So...anything you wanted to talk about...in uh...particular?" Said the Captain, rubbing the back of his neck.

Tintin wrung his hands in his lap and avoided his gaze as he said, "I erm...well because I just...um...".

"Yes?" The Captain pushed him. Tintin swiveled his head upwards to meet the Captain's gaze.

"Alright listen." Tintin found a sudden bout of courage within him, as he got straight to the point. "I need your help. I need you to teach me to drive. Now, even though in theory, I know how to drive, I've never...really erm...practiced it if you will." He said, gesturing with his hands.

"Are you asking me to help you to learn to drive?" The Captain said, a small twinge of happiness creeping onto his face.

"Sure. We'll go with that." Tintin said, afraid the Captain would shoot him down and refuse

"Absolutely lad! I'd love to.". The Captain said, clapping his hands together, as if to seal the deal right then and there. "We'll start tomorrow after I pick you up from school?"

"Uh...sure. Yea. Yea that sounds great." Tintin said, somewhat shocked at not just the Captain's reaction, but the fact that he agreed in the first place. Honestly, who in their right mind would be in the car at the same time as an inexperienced hormonal teenager, who's only objective is to not care and get girlfriends, who is behind the wheel. But, the Captain still agreed, and Tintin found himself smiling all the way back to his room.

XXX

"Now, just slowly ease off of the brake" said the Captain from the passenger's seat. They were currently on a deserted highway/parking lot (the parking lot being strangely attached to the highway), where no cars ever came, a perfect spot to learn to drive. Tintin took note of this place in case one day when he got a girlfriend (and at the rate he was going, that would be never), and they needed a spot to make out without interruption.

"Ok." Tintin said, easing his foot off of the brake. The car began to idly coast down the wide cracked pavement.

"Good. Now, just lightly, was your foot onto the gas."

"Ok.". Tintin felt the gas underneath his foot. The next thing he knew, the car took off and threw their heads against the headrests of their seats.

"STOP! BRAKES LAD! BRAAAKES!" The Captain held to his seat belt for dear life. Tintin moved his foot to the other pedal and stomped it down. Big mistake. Their heads shot forward with the jolt of the sudden stop, Tintin' nearly hitting the wheel, and the Captain's hitting the front dash.

Tintin's eyes got wide. 'That's it. That's the end. He's never going to want to drive with me again, I'll never learn to drive, I'll be a loser for the rest of my life, and I'll never get a girlfriend, and I'll be a virgin for the rest of my life...well, my life that's now over.'. "*Sigh* I'm sorry. I'll just...I'll um.". Tintin put the car in park and made to get out, but the Captain grabbed his shoulder before he could pull the handle.

"No! No, no its alright lad, we've all made that mistake before," the Captain rubbed his forehead and muttered a 'trust me'.

Tintin contorted his face, and buckled back up. He chuckled a little and said "Ok. I'll just...try again."

"Yea, that's the spirit lad! Now, this time when we go to move, ease into the gas, ok?"

"ok." Tintin let off the brakes and the car began to slowly roll forward. Tintin moved his foot to hover over the other pedal, and instead this time, eased his foot to build speed.

"That's great lad! You're doing great!"

"Thanks Captain." If he were honest, Tintin was never more terrified in his life. He thought he could drive, and it would be really easy. He thought. Suddenly, the gleam of silver appeared in the rear view mirror. A large silver truck appeared begin him, going at least 80. Tintin froze. Everything in him tensed up. "Um...Captain there's a car behind me.". He said, very quickly, as if scared the words would arrive too late.

"Aye, that'll happen lad." The Captain said, somewhat amusedly.

"No, I mean really Captain, he's coming up behind me fast.".

The Captain turned in his seat to get a better look. When he saw it, he turned around slowly, an exasperated look on his face. He muttered 'jackass' underneath his breath then cleared his throat. "Alright lad, it's ok. Just let him pass you.". The truck got closer.

"Um... Yea, yup, I-I don't think he wants to pass me." The truck got closer.

"Nah nah, he'll go around." And closer.

"Captain-" his sentence was cut off with a loud horn. Tintin visibly jumped in his seat, and shrieked as it went passed him, his voice crack unwavering. When the car was passed him, he hit his brakes. Tears were streaming down his eyes at a constant speed, and his breath was fast paced and audible.

"Awe, lad. Don't let this ruin you're driving experience. That guy was just a jerk. And before he came and messed everything up, you were doing pretty great!" The Captain said, a hand on Tintin's back, reassuring him. Tintin didn't look at him. He just looked straight ahead. Then, he put the car into park and got out. "Lad, what're you doing?"

"No. Just no. Never ever again. Never again. I'm walking home." Tintin said, beginning to make his way down the stretch of abandoned highway (or so they thought).

"Now lad, you have to get back on the horse! Take the bull by the horns!" The Captain said. But Tintin didn't listen. He spread had his ear buds in.

XXX

Tintin sat on the bench outside of his highschool. He was waiting for the Captain to pick him up, because he had said he was going to be a bit late today. Of course Tintin didn't mind, because Mindy always stayed after, and she was probably the hottest girl he had ever seen.

Since the first time the Captain had taken him to the highway, Tintin had gotten increasingly better with every time he got behind the wheel. He wasn't as touchy with the gas or brakes any more, and other cars didn't scare him as much. He had even been driving the Captain around quite a bit as well. The Captain was quite happy with his progress as well.

An unfamiliar car pulled up to the school pickup loop. It was very nice looking, and was a nice shad of orange red. Tintin paid no mind at first, seeing as other kids were waiting to be picked up as well, but when the Captain stepped out it puzzled him.

"Hello lad." He said, as he spotted Tintin walking towards him.

"H-hey...uh...where's the Mercedes?" He inquired.

"Oh, back at the house."

"But we only have one car." Tintin was quite confused.

"Correction: I only have one car." The Captain threw the keys at Tintin, who caught them unexpectedly. "And so do you."

Tintin's jaw dropped. 'oh my god.' He thought. He looked at the keys, to the car, to the Captain, and repeated. "You mean...this is my..." Tintin questioned.

The Captain nodded.

Tintin let out a breathy laugh. He ran his fingers through his hair, and a smile crept onto his face. "Wow! I...uh...oh my god, thank you! Thank you!"

"No problem. You've gotten so good at driving lately I thought, well, why not?" Said the Captain, gesturing to the car.

"Hey Tintin." Tintin turned to look in the direction he heard his name. It was Mindy Carlson. It was Mindy. Freaking. Carlson.

"U-uh, y-yea." He said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Is that your car?"

Tintin looked at the Captain, who nodded, and turned back to Mindy. "Yes. Yes it is."

"Cool. See you around." She said, turning back to her group of friends.

"Yea, uh...you too. Yea. Um...yea." He stuttered, getting into the driver's side. The Captain got in too.

Tintin got a good look at the interior. It was black, with a sunroof at the top. Tintin smiled. He turned to the Captain once again, who was watching him with amusement.

"Um...Captain?"

"Yea lad?"

"...Thanks." Even though he wasn't his dad, he sure did care about him. "For everything."

"You're welcome lad." He cared a whole lot. "Anytime."

A/N

Hey everyone! So, I got this idea the other day, and I thought it would be a cool play on character if we put Tintin in modern day, as a fifteen year old, and all of the awkwardness that comes with it, and out came this little story. I thought it was cute, and I really took my time on it, so I hope you all liked it, and I hope it came out all right.

Also, I was thinking about surrounding a story on the modern say teenage Tintin and his highschool awkwardness, so if you like that idea, please comment and let me know. I love feedback, both good and bad.

Thank you all for reading this!


End file.
